Lord High Steward: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The position of Lord High Steward of England, not to be confused with the Lord Steward, a court functionary, is the first of the Great Officers of State. Although initially the position was largely an honorary one, over time it grew in importance until its holder became one of the most powerful men of the kingdom. From the late 12th century, the office was considered to be bound with the Earldom of Leicester. When the House of Lancaster ascended the throne in 1399, Henry IV made his second son, Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence, Lord High Steward, but following the latter's death in 1421 the office has generally remained vacant, except at coronations and during the trial of peers, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, the Lord Chancellor was appointed to act as Lord High Steward in the latter situation. The trial of peers by their peers in the House of Lords was abolished in 1948.

In Scotland, the hereditary position of High Steward was given in the 12th century to Walter Fitzalan, whose descendants became the Stewart family. In 1371, the last High Steward inherited the throne, and thereafter the title of High Steward of Scotland has been held as a subsidiary title to that of Duke of Rothesay, held by the heir-apparent. Thus, currently, The Prince of Wales is High Steward of Scotland.

In Ireland, the position was sometimes known as the Hereditary Seneschal. The position was held from the 15th century by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Waterford, also the Premier Earls of England and (discounting dormant and submerged titles) of Ireland.

Lord High Stewards of England, 1186-1421

• Robert, 2nd Earl of Leicester 1154-1168
• Robert Blanchemains, 3rd Earl of Leicester 1168-1190
• Robert FitzPernel, 4th Earl of Leicester 1190-1204
• Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester 1206-1218
• Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester 1218-1265
• Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster 1265-1296
• Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster 1296-1322
• Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster 1324-1345
• Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster 1345-1361
• John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster 1362-1399
• Henry of Bollingbroke, 2nd Duke of Lancaster 1399
• Thomas of Lancaster, Duke of Clarence 1399-1421

• incomplete
• The Duke of Buckingham 1509
• The Lord Russell 1547
• The Earl of Derby 1553
• incomplete
• The Duke of Ormonde 1661
• The Duke of Ormonde 1685
• The Earl of Devonshire 1689
• The Duke of Devonshire 1702
• The Duke of Grafton 1714
• The Duke of Dorset 1727
• The Earl Talbot 1761
• The Marquess of Anglesey 1821
• The Duke of Hamilton 1831
• The Duke of Hamilton 1838
• The Duke of Marlborough 1902
• The Duke of Northumberland 1911
• The Marquess of Salisbury 1937
• The Viscount Cunningham 1953

• incomplete before 1660
• The Duke of Buckingham, at the trial of the Duke of Clarence, 1478
• The Earl of Oxford, at the trial of the Earl of Warwick, 1499
• The Duke of Norfolk, at the trial of the Duke of Buckingham, 1521
• The Duke of Norfolk, at the trial of Anne Boleyn, 1536
• The Earl of Shrewsbury, at the trial of the Duke of Norfolk, 1571
• The Earl of Derby, at the trial of the Earl of Arundel and Surrey, 1589
• The Lord Buckhurst, at the trial of the Earl of Essex, 1601
• The Earl of Arundel and Surrey, at the trial of the Earl of Strafford, 1641
• The Earl of Clarendon, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of Lord Morley, 1666
• The Lord Finch, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of Lord Cornwallis, 1676
• The Lord Finch, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Pembroke
• The Lord Finch, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of The Earl of Danby, 1679
• The Lord Finch, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Powis; Viscount Stafford; Lord Arundell of Wardour; Lord Petre; and Lord Belasyse, 1679
• The Lord Finch, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of Viscount Stafford, 1680
• The Lord Jeffreys, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of Lord Delamere, 1685
• The Marquess of Carmarthen, Lord President of the Council, at the trial of Lord Mohun, 1699
• The Lord Somers, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Warwick; and of Lord Mohun, 1699
• The Lord Cowper, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Derwentwater; Lord Widdrington; the Earl of Nithsdale; the Earl of Carnwath; Viscount Kenmure; and Lord Nairne, 1716
• The Lord Cowper, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Winton, 1716
• The Lord Cowper, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, 1717
• The Lord King, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of the Earl of Macclesfield, 1725
• The Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of the Earl of Kilmarnock; the Earl of Cromartie, and Lord Balmerinoch, 1746
• The Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Lord Lovat, 1747
• The Lord Henley, Lord Keeper, for the trial of Earl Ferrers, 1760
• The Earl of Northington, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of the Duchess of Kingston, 1765
• The Lord Thurlow, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Warren Hastings, 1788-1793
• The Lord Loughborough, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Warren Hastings 1793-1795
• The Lord Erskine, Lord Chancellor, for the trial of Viscount Melville 1806
• The Lord Denman, Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench, for the trial of the Earl of Cardigan, 1841
• incomplete after 1841
• The Earl of Halsbury, Lord Chancellor, at the trial of Earl Russell, 1901

• Walter Fitzalan, 1st High Steward of Scotland ca.1150-1177
• Alan Fitzwalter, 2nd High Steward of Scotland 1177-1204
• Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland 1204-1241
• Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland 1241-1283
• James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland 1283-1309
• Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland 1309-1327
• Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland 1327-1371
• David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1398-1402
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1402-1406
• Alexander Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1430
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1430-1437
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1453-1460
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1473-1488
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1507-1508
• Arthur Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1509-1510
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1512-1513
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1540-1541
• James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay 1566-1567
• Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales 1594-1612
• Charles, Prince of Wales 1612-1625
• Charles James Stewart, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay 1629
• Charles, Prince of Wales 1630-1649
• James, Prince of Wales 1688
• George Augustus, Prince of Wales 1714-1727
• Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales 1727-1751
• George, Prince of Wales 1762-1820
• Albert Edward, Prince of Wales 1841-1901
• George, Prince of Wales 1901-1910
• Edward, Prince of Wales 1910-1936
• Charles, Prince of Wales 1952-

• John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1446-1453
• John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1453-1460
• John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1460-1473
• George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1473-1538
• Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1538-1560
• George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1560-1590
• Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1590-1616
• Edward Talbot, 8th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1616-1617
• George Talbot, 9th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1617-1630
• John Talbot, 10th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1630-1654
• Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1654-1667
• Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, 12th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1667-1718
• Gilbert Talbot, 13th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1718-1743
• George Talbot, 14th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1743-1787
• Charles Talbot, 15th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1787-1827
• John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1827-1852
• Bertram Arthur Talbot, 17th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1852-1856
• Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 18th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1856-1868
• Charles John Chetwynd-Talbot, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1868-1877
• Charles Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1877-1921
• John George Charles Henry Alton Alexander Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1921-1980
• Charles Henry John Benedict Crofton Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford 1980-